http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/google
In this article, the author Guy Billout writes that the internet is actually decreasing our intelligence. While Billout certainly does make a good argument that the internet has hurt our ability to stay focused on one thing, I think he is forgetting a number of benefits. In the article he states that he often finds himself drifting after two or three pages of reading online while years ago he was able to easily drift into wordy writing. The author interpreted this loss of concentration as a loss of intelligence, while I believe it is an evolutionary new way of thinking. With information available to us at our fingertips we not required to search for long periods to get simple answers; Google has made us smarter. We are now more efficient than ever at finding everything we need answers for. I don’t think the internet has made us stupid, it has just changed the way we think.
While I think it is appropriate to argue that this new way of thinking has negative side effects, I believe the benefits outweigh the detriments. I have access to the intelligence of anyone who uses the internet while im connected. Typing a question into Google is like asking millions of people a question, then instantaneously getting the best response of the group. I thought Google did an excellent job showing this in their recent Superbowl commercial. They showed that having this new ability allows you to solve problems quickly then spend your time on whatever else you choose. If you prefer to read lengthy explanations and feel as though that will increase your intelligence, you still have that option. Our brain automatically decides what is the best way to learn what information we’re searching for. That now means quickly jumping around between stories with the new, easy access.
Google is making life more efficient
